Chapter 28

"This is Eugenia Sólveig, from INN, reporting live from the city of Petra, in Arabia Petraea, where there are reports of civil unrest," said the black hair beauty on the screen, "Groups of rioters are marching and looting through the city calling for a stop to the war.

"We also have reports of civil unrest from fourteen other Provinces. City and Police officials have contacted the Proconsuls to have the Army come in and help quell the rioters, as they are being overwhelmed.

"Imperator Domitus has issued a statement that the Provinces in civil unrest have been deemed to be in rebellion and he is calling the Imperial Military up. Any Auxilia Legionems that are called up in neighboring Provinces shall be sent to quell the rebellion.

"Again, reporting live from the city of Petra, I'm M. Eugenia Sólveig, back to you in the studio."

King Tichaona could not believe his ears. This Roman rebellion could not come at a better time. While Rome's Legions are fighting their citizens, the Armies of the Caliphate would over run the Roman forces. He needed to have this confirmed.

"Taonga, contact our mole. Find out if what I'm seeing is true, it could still be a trick of the Romans."

"As you ask Sire."

Mariana looked at the message she just received from her handler. They wanted confirmation that the civil unrest was real and not a hoax. She thought of what she could get. Her father, Baro Jannike, was the deputy director of the Military Intelligence Division of the IIA and he sometimes brought his work home with him.

Mariana converted to Islam from a friend. She had learned about it and had begun to believe it. Later she was approached by her friend to get some information about the Military, being promised that she would be rewarded when Rome fell. She had learned how to crack safes from her friend and got into her father's safe.

She went there again with a small camera. Opening the safe, she looked for any information about the called up Legionems. She hit pay dirt; her father had all of the information she needed. Who was being called up, where they were going, assumed numbers of rebels, and what equipment they were supposed to be using.

She took pictures of it all and sent it all off. She felt good, like Allah was smiling on her.

She did not know of the cameras in her father's study, nor that her message had been compromised, or that wherever she went outside her villa she was followed.

She left the villa twelve hours before the attack. The team following her got orders to take her if she came out, otherwise to go in and take her. She was shot with a tranquilizer dart and loaded into a van. Officially, she was taken to the Imperial Police, where she was charged and jailed. Unfortunately, a riot broke out in the jail and she was killed. Unofficially, she was taken to The Island where she was milked for information and then killed.

The Pra. Dux stood in front of almost 400,000 men and women, all of them in their battle gear with Sarcina Tellus and chutes. He had called them together, just as he was asked, at 1900 hours the day after they all got here.

"Legionaries," he said over the PA system, "Prepare to receive your orders."

He stepped down and Ninian, who had been waiting behind him, stepped up. He turned off the PA system and turned on his radio.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now in a Comm blackout with the rest of Rome except for prearranged messages. The orders you received are false, just given to get you here.

"The civil unrest is a ruse to call up the Imperial Legionems and Auxilia Legionems to repel an attack by Caliphate forces. We will still be jumping, but in a different location. The first waves will be all Exercitus, second all of the Catafractatus Equites, and finally all of the Tormenta.

"We are going to attack them before they attack us. Half of the first wave is foot, the second half has the Gerulus, and they have already been loaded. We leave in one hour, jump in thirty after that."